Etymology

From Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#ABLENESSCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#ABLENESS abilnes; equivalent to able +‎ -nessCategory:English terms suffixed with -ness#ABLENESS.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.bl̩.nəs/Category:English 3-syllable words#ABLENESSCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#ABLENESS

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#ABLENESS

Noun

ableness (usually uncountable, plural ablenesses)Category:English lemmas#ABLENESSCategory:English nouns#ABLENESSCategory:English uncountable nouns#ABLENESSCategory:English countable nouns#ABLENESSCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#ABLENESSCategory:Pages with entries#ABLENESSCategory:Pages with 1 entry#ABLENESS

1. (uncountableCategory:English uncountable nouns#ABLENESS, now rareCategory:English terms with rare senses#ABLENESS) Ability of body or mind. [First attested from around 1350 to 1470.]^[1]

   Synonyms: force, power, vigour

   • 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, II. Corinthians iij:[5], folio lxxviij, verso, column 2:

     […] not that we are ſufficient of oure ſelues to thynke eny thinge, as of oure ſelues, but oure ableneſſe commeth of God, […]

     Category:English terms with quotations#ABLENESS

   • 1612, Samuel Danyel [i.e., Daniel], “The Raigne of King Stephen”, in The First Part of the Historie of England, London: […] Nicholas Okes, […], →OCLC, page 225:

     […] in ſtead of a brother ſhe [Empress Matilda] had a ſonne grew vp to be of more eſtimatiõ with the Nobilitie, and ſhortly after of ablenes to vndergo the trauailes of warre.

     Category:English terms with quotations#ABLENESS

   • 1906, Ambrose Bierce, “income”, in The Cynic’s Word Book, London: Arthur F. Bird […], →OCLC, page 183:

     […] the true use and function of property […] as also of honors, titles, preferments, and place, and all favor and acquaintance of persons of quality or ableness, are but to get money.

     Category:English terms with quotations#ABLENESS

   • 1997, Don DeLillo, Underworld‎, New York: Scribner, Part 5, Chapter 3, p. 549:

     She knew how to do things and make things and even her good looks were competent, a straightforward sort of ableness, open and clear-eyed, with a smatter of fading freckles and a dirty-minded smile.

     Category:English terms with quotations#ABLENESS

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
2. (uncountableCategory:English uncountable nouns#ABLENESS, specifically) The degree to which one is abled or disabled.
   • 2018 December 3, Louis Menand, “Literary Hoaxes and the Ethics of Authorship”, in The New Yorker‎, New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 March 2023:

     In academic discourse, hybridity is out; intersectionality is in. People are imagined as the sum of their race, gender, sexuality, ableness, and other identities.

     Category:English terms with quotations#ABLENESS

   • 2021 October 26, David Kaplan, “Mastercard's Touch Card Continues Brand's Marketing Efforts to Engage All Consumers—and Their Senses”, in Adweek‎, New York, N.Y.: Adweek, LLC, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 23 December 2023:

     The card's release is presented as part of a broader effort to demonstrate that inclusiveness, and addressing discrimination across race, sex or degrees of ableness isn't just a social marketing good—it's good for business.

     Category:English terms with quotations#ABLENESS

3. (countableCategory:English countable nouns#ABLENESS, rareCategory:English terms with rare senses#ABLENESS) Something one is able to do.

   Synonyms: ability, capacity, competency

   • 1991, Keith Dowding, chapter 4, in Rational Choice and Political Power‎, Aldershot, Hants: E. Elgar, page 52:

     For [Peter] Morriss abilities are the capacities we have which we may use under particular conditions (power in a generic sense). Ablenesses are the abilities when those particular conditions obtain (power in a particular sense).

     Category:English terms with quotations#ABLENESS

References

Anagrams

• beanless, blaeness, sensable